In data centers, servers may connect to various target devices, such as small-computer system interface (SCSI) discs, through FC switches. Conventionally, each server may connect to an FC switch using a single port. These ports are referred to as N-ports from the server side and F-ports from the FC switch side. The FC switches conventionally allocate a single FC address, sometimes referred to as a fiber-channel identifier (FCID) or N-port ID, to each server.
There are systematic issues with the connection of servers and storage devices through a FC switch, including interoperability issues that arise with the connection of FC switches from different system vendors. Other issues include the increasing difficulty associated with managing the domain ID space in a large FC data center network because each FC switch may need a domain ID.
N-port ID Virtualization (NPIV) is FC facility allowing multiple N-port IDs to share a single physical N-port. If a FC switch supports NPIV, the switch can allocate multiple FCIDs on the same physical port. Some data centers may implement server virtualization to allow servers to acquire multiple N-port IDs over a single N-port. One N-port may be assigned for each distinguishable logical entity or virtual machine (e.g., a virtual server).
Thus, there are general needs for systems and methods for attachment of multiple physical and/or logical endpoints to a FC network. There are also general needs for systems and methods that utilize NPIV for attachment of multiple physical and/or logical endpoints to a FC network.